My main coT told me she contacted the new KET at my other middle school. She's worried he might be "strict." Apparently he didn't agree to her suggested arrangement (same as last year, that the NET focus on speaking/listening while the KET focuses on grammar/reading) but didn't quite openly say "no" either.

Feeling slightly apprehensive about actually meeting him tomorrow. He might turn out to be a prideful prat.

I haven't had to focus on the book the last couple of years, and the KETs and I have been working great together. A new KET came this semester and is now complaining that I don't cover the textbook (I cover the main content, but without using the actual book). Complains there is too much work on the KETs part. Although, no other teachers have had the problem (even those with homeroom classes and other "higher positions"), and even encouraged me to not use it, so that the students don't get so bogged down. We shall see...

Oh man, last year I had freedom doing almost all after school classes and this year I'm at a school where my ct is super nervous but dedicated to teaching together and he wants only book. That's tons of fun for our ONE STUDENT IN THE ENTIRE 5TH GRADE CLASS. After the horror show that was last week he let up and is allowing me to do a bomb game for a review lesson. it's painful to go by the book and especially with small classes! I can't drag out the "talk with friends" parts if there's one or no other kids in the class o.o He's 100% babying the kids and holding them back because if they even go outside of the book sentences he tells them off. No more of 4th graders being hungry apparently... They can only be good, fine, or not so good...

That's frustrating. I religiously use the book as a baseline for the minimum of what the kids need to learn and know. For higher level students, I can add some more challenging or interesting material, but as far as low level kids, the main goal is to a) make them feel at least a little comfortable with English even though they're not excelling at it, and b) get them to be able to at least approximate knowing the material they're required to learn.

But yeah, if he actively discourages them from using English not found in that lesson, that is dumb.

When I met my new 3rd grade elementary kids, I was about to start a video (about St. Patrick's day!) and asked them, "Ready??" to see if they would respond "Go!"

I was delighted to hear some kids yell, "ACTION!!" until my coT immediately stomped on all of them and told them all to only say, "Go!"

My main coT told me she contacted the new KET at my other middle school. She's worried he might be "strict." Apparently he didn't agree to her suggested arrangement (same as last year, that the NET focus on speaking/listening while the KET focuses on grammar/reading) but didn't quite openly say "no" either.

Feeling slightly apprehensive about actually meeting him tomorrow. He might turn out to be a prideful prat.

I haven't had to focus on the book the last couple of years, and the KETs and I have been working great together. A new KET came this semester and is now complaining that I don't cover the textbook (I cover the main content, but without using the actual book). Complains there is too much work on the KETs part. Although, no other teachers have had the problem (even those with homeroom classes and other "higher positions"), and even encouraged me to not use it, so that the students don't get so bogged down. We shall see...

Oh man, last year I had freedom doing almost all after school classes and this year I'm at a school where my ct is super nervous but dedicated to teaching together and he wants only book. That's tons of fun for our ONE STUDENT IN THE ENTIRE 5TH GRADE CLASS. After the horror show that was last week he let up and is allowing me to do a bomb game for a review lesson. it's painful to go by the book and especially with small classes! I can't drag out the "talk with friends" parts if there's one or no other kids in the class o.o He's 100% babying the kids and holding them back because if they even go outside of the book sentences he tells them off. No more of 4th graders being hungry apparently... They can only be good, fine, or not so good...

That's frustrating. I religiously use the book as a baseline for the minimum of what the kids need to learn and know. For higher level students, I can add some more challenging or interesting material, but as far as low level kids, the main goal is to a) make them feel at least a little comfortable with English even though they're not excelling at it, and b) get them to be able to at least approximate knowing the material they're required to learn.

But yeah, if he actively discourages them from using English not found in that lesson, that is dumb.

My biggest class at that school is 5 kids so I;m not opposed to doing some textbook stuff but it's the games I change. I don't think this CT looks at the book before class because I told him I was changing the rules of a game because we don't have enough students to play it (it was supposed to be groups of 6 kids and there were 3 in that class) and he's like "the students must learn the book". I have no problem doing the book sentences and I encourage kids to use other words that they can use with the target sentences, but this guy wants to do the exact lesson plan the book gives and it just doesn't work. I prep backup games for the lesson anyways because it's pretty likely that we'll need them.

He's the schemer on the show. Any Brit here over age 25 will know this show. My parents watched it on TVO in Canada so I grew up watching it with them. Which explains why I'm so weird now. While y'all were watching cartoons, I was studying the interpersonal relationships of a small police station in York. hahahahha

Basically I saw an excuse to trigger some Brits nostalgia button on Waygook.

My main coT told me she contacted the new KET at my other middle school. She's worried he might be "strict." Apparently he didn't agree to her suggested arrangement (same as last year, that the NET focus on speaking/listening while the KET focuses on grammar/reading) but didn't quite openly say "no" either.

Feeling slightly apprehensive about actually meeting him tomorrow. He might turn out to be a prideful prat.

I haven't had to focus on the book the last couple of years, and the KETs and I have been working great together. A new KET came this semester and is now complaining that I don't cover the textbook (I cover the main content, but without using the actual book). Complains there is too much work on the KETs part. Although, no other teachers have had the problem (even those with homeroom classes and other "higher positions"), and even encouraged me to not use it, so that the students don't get so bogged down. We shall see...

Oh man, last year I had freedom doing almost all after school classes and this year I'm at a school where my ct is super nervous but dedicated to teaching together and he wants only book. That's tons of fun for our ONE STUDENT IN THE ENTIRE 5TH GRADE CLASS. After the horror show that was last week he let up and is allowing me to do a bomb game for a review lesson. it's painful to go by the book and especially with small classes! I can't drag out the "talk with friends" parts if there's one or no other kids in the class o.o He's 100% babying the kids and holding them back because if they even go outside of the book sentences he tells them off. No more of 4th graders being hungry apparently... They can only be good, fine, or not so good...

Ugh.

I've encountered this before. Strict book-believers who'd rather I play the stilted videos (NO ONE TALKS LIKE THAT WHERE DO THEY EVEN FIND THESE PEOPLE) than have the kids do an activity in which they'd actually use the language on their own. I don't know, man. I don't know.

My main coT told me she contacted the new KET at my other middle school. She's worried he might be "strict." Apparently he didn't agree to her suggested arrangement (same as last year, that the NET focus on speaking/listening while the KET focuses on grammar/reading) but didn't quite openly say "no" either.

Feeling slightly apprehensive about actually meeting him tomorrow. He might turn out to be a prideful prat.

I haven't had to focus on the book the last couple of years, and the KETs and I have been working great together. A new KET came this semester and is now complaining that I don't cover the textbook (I cover the main content, but without using the actual book). Complains there is too much work on the KETs part. Although, no other teachers have had the problem (even those with homeroom classes and other "higher positions"), and even encouraged me to not use it, so that the students don't get so bogged down. We shall see...

Oh man, last year I had freedom doing almost all after school classes and this year I'm at a school where my ct is super nervous but dedicated to teaching together and he wants only book. That's tons of fun for our ONE STUDENT IN THE ENTIRE 5TH GRADE CLASS. After the horror show that was last week he let up and is allowing me to do a bomb game for a review lesson. it's painful to go by the book and especially with small classes! I can't drag out the "talk with friends" parts if there's one or no other kids in the class o.o He's 100% babying the kids and holding them back because if they even go outside of the book sentences he tells them off. No more of 4th graders being hungry apparently... They can only be good, fine, or not so good...

Ugh.

I've encountered this before. Strict book-believers who'd rather I play the stilted videos (NO ONE TALKS LIKE THAT WHERE DO THEY EVEN FIND THESE PEOPLE) than have the kids do an activity in which they'd actually use the language on their own. I don't know, man. I don't know.

The YBM books have a Korean Mom, in the video portion, who sounds like the female, Korean, Vincent Price.

My KET at one of my schools has requested that I only teach for 20 minutes, then he will take over. So I see each grade once a week for 20 minutes. Part of me is horrified, and part of me is pretty happy about the lack of work I have to do.

Also, I am so used to having to do a shit ton of work prepping for classes (as was required last contract) that now when the after school coordinator came to speak to me and I had all the lesson plans done for the semester with an overview for reference and it was all filed, he told me that I am crazy to do that much work and I just need to "pretend that I planned". I am starting to understand why other people like their public school gigs. So glad I requested transfer.

« Last Edit: March 15, 2017, 03:27:17 PM by What?What? »

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People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.-A.A. Milne

My KET at one of my schools has requested that I only teach for 20 minutes, then he will take over. So I see each grade once a week for 20 minutes. Part of me is horrified, and part of me is pretty happy about the lack of work I have to do.

Also, I am so used to having to do a shit ton of work prepping for classes (as was required last contract) that now when the after school coordinator came to speak to me and I had all the lesson plans done for the semester with an overview for reference and it was all filed, he told me that I am crazy to do that much work and I just need to "pretend that I planned". I am starting to understand why other people like their public school gigs. So glad I requested transfer.

I had a similar arrangement with my ct last year but it was basically her hurrying through the textbook and doing all the garbage parts and then I'd plan a game or activity for the end of class. I liked that cuz I hate pressing play on a video then telling the kids to repeat it. Granted I still saw each class 2-4 more times a week for after school, but those coteaching classes were nice and easy.

So. New coT. Turns out he's actually the same age as I am and he was concerned that my main coT was super strict (when she was worried the same about him lol). The chalkboard now says "Be the Best of Whatever You Are!!!" (nice sentiment but SO cheesy hahah)

I told him that usually I did the speaking/listening sections and asked him if that was okay and he was totally cool with it. There's a guitar in the classroom now that he apparently likes to use for a song once in a while (he says he just plays a little so no idea if that's just modesty or honesty as he didn't pick it up today).

During class he was pretty focused on keeping the students in line and disciplined (which isn't really an issue with any of the classes, I think he's just trying to assert his authority as a new teacher). I'm not sure if I like the way he's treating the special needs kid though but we'll see how things go. At least I can basically carry on as I have been.

Though he wants to actually teach open class together next week which is weird-- usually my coT at this school would ask me to "take a rest" while she taught the open class for the observers. I've never done an open class at a travel school before. Not worried, just find it odd since it's not what I'm used to.

I kind of want one of those terrible shamrock shakes from McDonald's. I don't even care for minty flavored shakes (I'll have a few sips then have someone else kill it), but the color and general holiday/celebratory feeling is appealing.

I had never heard any of her songs other that that depressing Arms of an Angel one, but last night I was watching Fresh off the Boat and Jessica played 2 of her songs. It was definitely better than the animal cruelty song.